Cotton-compress.



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s. J. WEBB. COTTON coMPREss.

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APPLIOATIOH TXLEI) JUH 1G. 1900.Y

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SAMUEL wasn or Minnen, Louisiana. oorronmoomsnees.

No. 82i3,002.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '7, 1906.

Application filed June 19, 1900. Serial No. 20,888.

To LZ/Z whom t wmy sn/cern:

Be it known that LM/.funn J. vWEBB, a

`citizen of the United States, residing at Minden, in the parish ofWebster and State oi Louisiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in CottonPresses, of which the following is aspecification.

Heretoiiore in condensing 'or compressing cotton in rebaling the same ithas been customary to introduce the plantation-bale between the pla-tensof a press, to which power is so applied as to compress and condense theba e inthe direction Ygenerally in which pressure'w as applied in thefirst instance in the formation of the plantation-bale.

compressed and condensed in the compresyjsion-press in the direction inwhich it was compressions of the'bale, and in so doing I operate in the'first instance upon the mass of cotton contained m the plantation-bale,so

as to change the cross-sectional form withoutmaterial or necessarycompression and practically without any material ressure upon theplantation-bale, thereby re ucing the area of the material subjected tothe platens of the press, and, in fact, reducing the area of platenrequired, so that the power of the press being applied over a morelimited area it secures a very much more extended pressure per squareinch, and therefore a greater compresable.

In carrying out my invention the apparatus may beniade in differentforms. l will now describe one which has proved to beef..- iective,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-w Figure l isa side elevation of a press em-A bodying my improvements; Fig. 2y asectional elevation ci the same; Fig.l 3,` a side view illustrating asafety 'devieeconneoted InA lother instances the plantation-bale hasbeenI sion energy than would otherwise be availwith the main andauxiliary engines; Fig. 4,-y an enlarged sectional elevation of thesafety' device. Fig. 5 illustrates a modification oiv the invention.

The frame A of the press is constructed in. any suitable manner to suport the upper platen B, which is preferably t e fixed platen, although.the lower platen() may be fixed, or both may be movable.

The movable platen is operated .from a steam-cylinder D, Ithe piston lof which is,`

provided with a cross-head 2, carrying two.

pins 3 3, to each of which is connectedV a link 4, pivotedby a pin' 5 toa link 6, which latter is connected by a pin 7 to the upper end of theconnecting-rod 8, pivoted at 9 to the lower platen. vThe pin 5 iscarried by a link 10, which is pivoted at l2 to the frame of the press,and the pin 7 by links 31, connected at I do not herein claim this 30 tothe frame; combination of links, which serve .as a means of securing rstan extended movement of the lower platen when a slight pressure isapplied and then amore limited movement and increased leverage to securea very highdegree of pressure, as this is set forth in my apr plication,Serial No. 720,850, .iiled June 16, ,y

1899. ,So far as my present invention is concerned, however, it isimmaterial in what manner one platen is brought toward the other or howthey may be brought together and separated, as my invention maybe usedin connection with any suitable character of' i 'press for this urpose,and I will therefbre not here .more lly describe the details of thepress shown. y

' The lower and the upper platen may both be of the same area, but Iprefer to combine my appliances in the form of an attachment to a presshaving an upper platen. B of the full area of the plantation-bale and alower platen C of more ,limited area corresponding to that-to which theform ofthe bale is changed, soY that if it is desired to convert .the

apparatusfinto one o erating with both platens of the full area o theplantationbale this may be "done by removing theattachme'nt ansubstituting a wider lower platen.- late for the one employed inconnection wit the attachment.

opposite theedges'oi the lower platen-plate, so that when the two platesE laareturned down to a horizontal position the-plantation loov Thisattaclnnent comprises i two pivoted plates E E with theirpivots 14 1o 5y bale may extend over the hinges of the same, as shown in dotted linesy.

`VV' hen the platens 'are at their maximum distance apart, the distancebetween them is considerably greater than the height of the bale-saytwelve inches, more or less-so that when the plates E E are turned froma horizontal to a vertical position the particles of cotton in theplantation-bale will be so displaced as to alter the form of the balepractically without compressing it, so that it is reduced in lateraldimensions to a thickness corresponding to the width of the lowerplaten- -platesa ei hteen inches-but the surplus cotton is isp acedtoward the top, so that the height of the vbale is increased, forinstance,

between the platens, say, to five feet, therev being no substantialincrease in the' densityr of the bale. It will` therefore be noted thatthe plates E E are not platens or'compressingplates, but are simplydisplacing-plates,which displace the particles of cotton withoutmaterially compressing or condensing the same. When these plates areturned up to the vertical position, they are retained in that positionwhile the cotton is compressed between the platens.' In the constructionshown this is accomplished by the upward movement of the lower platen,which is broughtltoward the upper platen to the greatest possibleextent, and the bands are then passed through the grooves of the platens(after lowering the plates E) and secured, thus banding the-compressedbale, which is therefore reduced to its most limited bulk and greatestdensity by a .single pressure in one direction and without space betweenthe platen and the top of the bale, are not necessarily hinged, but maybe moved out and in laterally, especially when the bale is introducedfrom the end of the press. Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, there are twoplates E E, which can be moved toward and from the space between theplatens by the action of a motor fluid in two cylinders I I, each havinga piston 37, connected with a rod 38, connected to one of the plates,the motor fluid being admitted through pipes 39, controlled by propervalves.

When it is desired to employ the press for ordinary baling purposes,applying pressure to the entire surface of the plantation-bade, the uper platen is of the full width shown in the rawings. When, however,itis desired to use the press only in the manner before described, theface of the upper platen will be of the same width as that ofthe lowerplaten. In order to adapt the press to these changes, the platen-platesa a. may be detachable and separate from the supporting parts,- asshown, beine bolted thereto by bolts secured in any suitable manner.

As before stated, for baling in the ordinary manner the narrow platesarek taken off and wide plates substituted therefor.

While the displacing-plates E E may be operated in any suitable manner,I referably make use of an engine F for each p ate, coinprising acylinder f, with a piston 16 and piston-rod 17, connected to across-head 18,

moving upon suitable guides 19, connected by connecting-rods 20 to acrossin 21, connected by a link 22 to the plate the crosspin being alsoconnected to links 23, the links being so proportioned that the links 2322 practically constitute a to gle to secure sufficient power to insurethe isplacement of the mass of cotton when the plates are brought to avertical position and also when in line with each other to act as apositive abutment to resist the lateral pressure Vof the cotton when themass is being condensed between the platen's. To properly support thetoggles against this pressure, I make useof tie-rods 25 26, meeting atthe pins 27, to which the links 23 are pivoted, the said tie-rods 26extendinfJr diagonally upward and being bolted to the irame of thepress, while the tie-rods y25 extend across the press between the Ltwopins 27, forming a yoke.

Any -suitable arrangement of pipes and valves may be employed forconducting the motor fluid to the cylinders of the engines anddischarging the same therefrom.

It is very desirable to avoid the possibility of vpressure being appliedto lift the plates E when the latter are down and the workmen areengagedA in banding the bale .which is compressed between the twoplatens. To avoid this, I combine with the engines and operatingconnections of the plates E a safety device consisting of apressure-regulator G, so arranged that so long as there is pressurebeneath the piston in the main cylinder D steam cannot flow to thecylinders of the en gines F. As shown in Figs. 4 and5, the steam-pipe 30passes tof casing 31 of the regulator G, which has a valve 32,controlling the flow of steam from the pipe 30 to the pipes 33 34,leading' to the en ds oi the cylinders of the engines F. The valve 32 iscon-y nected to the regulator-piston 35, andthe space above thc lattercommunicates through a pipe 36 with the space below the main-pis- -tonof the main cylinder D, so that so long as there is pressure below themain piston the valve'32 will be maintained in its place and vated.

Without limiting myself to the precise oo nstruction and arrangement ofparts shown, I claim as my invention- 1. A compress provided withplatens, dis.- Ilblacing-plates, and means for carrying them toward aplantation-bale between the platens to displace `the material4 of saidbale and change the form thereof niaking the bale narthe pistons of theengines F cannot be eleros IIO

rie-epos rower prior to the compressing action ofthe platone,substantially as set forth.

2; A compress provided with a platen naving a face corresponding to thewidth to v placing-plates arranged t'o act laterally upon said. todisplace the contents and alter the torri thereof v-.fithout compressingthe same, and means lor retain in the plates in position and foroperating the platens to compress the bale between such plates,substantially as set forth. i

3. A. compress provided with platens, means for' separating them to agreater extent than the height of a plantation-bale, displacing-platesfor operatingy upon the sides of bale to displace the contents thereof.making,` the bale narrower between the platens but without compressingthe same, and means for retaining'` said plates in position during thecompressing action of the platens,

.substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the platens of a compress, oi displacing-plates,and means for bringingr them against the sides ol a bale 'to alter theiorrntliereoi without `conrnnessing it, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the platens of a compress, of displacing-plates,and means tor' carrying them toward the plantation-bale between the saidplates to reduce the area of the bale subjected to the action oi theplatens, substantially as set forth.

5. in a compress, means for reducing the area of a surface of a bale,and means for compressing the bale by applying pressure to Ithe reducedsurface, without shifting' or turning the bale, substantially as setforth.

7. in a compress, means for reducing the dimensions of a bale in onedirection to present opposite faces means for applying pressure to saidfaces while the bale remains in its position, substantially as setforth. f

8. The combination in a compress, of a narrow and wide platen, anddisplacingplates, the narrow platen having a narrow pressing-faceadapted to work between the displacing-plates when they are in closedposition and a wide pressing-face adapted to be applied to the narrowplaten to press bales when the displacing-plates are not used,substantially es set forth.

9. rl`he combination with the platens ci a compress, ci displacinwplateshinged to the `.rame oi the press, and engines connected'to the saidplates to carry the same to and from the space between the platens,substantially as sot forth.

10. The combination with the platens of a compress, of hingeddisplacing-plates, tog- ,gflos arranged to be in line when the platesare elevated, and engines connected to operate saidteenies,substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination with the platens and of reduced area, and,

i which plantation-bale is to be reduced, disfor. '.therefor, andconnections, of' a valve controlframe of a compress, 'ofdisplacing-plates hinged' to said frame, toggle-links 23 swinging uponpins 27'., connected by tie-rods 'to the said frame and connected bylinks 22 to the displacing-plates, and engines for operating thetoggle-links, substantially as set forth..

12. The combination in a compress and with the pistons andoperating-engine th`eredisplacing e plates, operatin gengines ling theflow of motor fluid to the engines cperating; the d1splacing-plates, andmeans for maintainingT the 'valve in its seat by the pressure beneaththe main piston, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with the platens oi a compress, ci hingeddisplacing-plates and toggles arranged to come practically in line whenther platesV are elevated so as t'o form the necessary rigid abutment tohold the plates in closed position while the bale is bcing compressedbetween them, substantially as set forth.

14'. The combination with the platens of a compress, of displacingplatesand means for operating them and for holding them rigidly in closedposition While the bale is being compressed between them.

l15. In a compress, the combination of .plates arranged to operateagainst the sides of a bale to narrow it, and means for com pressing`the bale while it is conned between the said plates.

16. In a compress, the combination of side plates arranged to press thebale in one direction, means for operating said plates, means forholding said plates in their closed position, and means for compressingthe bale a transverse direction while thus conlined between the plates.

17. ln combination with a compress, plates roo or sides hinged to astationary part of the/ press, and means for' moving them to and fromthe space between the platens of the rese.

p 18; in combination with a compress, plates or sides swinging onstationaryV hinges, and

means for swinging said sides to and from the space between the platensof a press,

19. The combination with the platens of a compress, ci hingeddisplacing-plates, and means for swinging the latter toward the spacebetween the platens withv increasing power, substantially as set forth.

20. The combination in a compress, ci means for reducing the bale ,inone directionl and retaining .said reduction while the bale is being,rcompressed, andA platens for compress ing the bale. A J

21, In a compression-press, the combina-l tion oftwo platens otdifferent widths, :meansl for compressing a bale to and retaining it ofthickness corresponding to the width of the narrow platen, and means foroperating the FSO platens to -compress the bale while so retained,substantially 'as set forth.

22. A` compression-press having plates or sides movable to form thesides of aloonipres-` sion-chamber, a stationary platen having itsworking faee Wider than the space between the plates when they are inclosed position, and a second platen having its Working facenarrowerthan the distance between the said 'side plates'when theyare inclosed position, substantially as described.

y 23. A compress' having sides or plates hinged at stationary points andadapted to form a com ression-ohamber, and platens, one of-Whioh isstationary and of greater width than the s ace between the plates whenthey arein cibsed position.

24. A compress having sides or plates hinged at stationary points andadapted' to form al ,eompression-chamber, and platens,

one of which is movable and has a Working I face narrower than thedistance between the said plates when they are in closed position,substantially as described.

25. The combination with a compress, of plates or side pieces, eachswinging on a stationary hinge and adapted to form sides of acompression-chamber into which the bale may be compressed.

26. The combination with a compress, of platesor side pieees,`eachswinging on a stationary hinge and adapted to form sides of acompression-chamber into which the bale may be compressed, and means foroperating said plates; substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL J. WEBB.` Witnesses:

E. WARRENER, H. M. GLLMAN. Jr.

